Gas generating dispenser



R. J. COOK ET GAS GENERATINGDISPENSER Oct. 15, 1968 Filed Dec. 23, 1966 424. w 2 Wm l my a I. .6

United States Patent 3,405,845 GAS GENERATING DISPENSER Ralph J. Cook, Torrance, and Joseph h I. Schumann, Inglewood, Calif., assignors to Products Research and Chemical Corporation, Burbank, Caiii, a corporation of California Filed Dec. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 694,41? 15 Claims. ((11. 222387) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A disposable dispenser for a fluent material has a piston-like wall for extrusion of the material through a dispensing nozzle. A first wall capable of opening in response to pressure cooperates with the piston and shell to form a first chamber to contain a first ingredient. A second wall cooperates with the shell and the first wall to form a second chamber which is substantially filled with a second liquid ingredient. A plunger extends into the second chamber for manual operation to contract the second chamber and thereby place the liquid ingredient under pressure to cause said first wall to open for intermixture of the two ingredients, the two ingredients cooperating on contact to generate a gas to press against said piston-like wall to extrude the fluent material.

This invention relates to a device for dispensing viscous materials such as sealants and adhesives wherein the viscous material is confined in a collapsible cartridge and pressurized gaseous fluid is employed to contract the cartridge for the purpose of extruding the material therefrom.

In a conventional dispensing device of this character a contractible cartridge is placed in a barrel of a dispensing gun that is connected by a flexible hose to a source of compressed air and the gun is provided with a triggeractuated air inlet valve to control the contraction of the cartridge. Such a dispensing gun is highly satisfactory for industrial use where compressors are available or where continuous use of a gun warrants investment in a compressor. In many instances, however, such a gun is needed for only occasional use. Home mechanics, for example, have only occasional need for such a dispensing device so that investment in a conventional dispensing gun and the necessary compressor is not warranted.

The present invention meets this situation by providing a self-sufiicient fluid-pressure actuated dispensing device, the device requiring no outside source of compressed air. A feature of the present invention is that the preferred embodiment is so inexpensive that it may be discarded after one use. The low cost of the disposable dispensing device is accomplished in large part by eliminating the need for a gun separate from the cartridge, the cartridge being constructed not only to serve as a collapsible container for extruding the viscous material but also to serve as means to provide the fluid pressure for collapsing the container.

In the presently preferred practice of the invention, the disposable cartridge has an aluminum shell formed by impact extrusion, one end of the shell being formed with a dispensing nozzle that is normally closed. A suitable piston such as a cup-shaped plastic member is backed into the open end of the aluminum shell to confine the viscous material in the shell. Suitable means is mounted in-the open end of the shell to cooperate with the cup-shaped member to form a first pressure chamber and to form a second chamber which is separated from the first chamber by a wall that is pressure-sensitive in the sense that the wall may be opened by pressures to place the two chambers in communication with each other. In accord with 3,495,345 Fatented Oct. 15, 1968 the teaching of the invention, the pressure chamber contains one of two ingredients that are capable of cooperating to generate gas and the second of the two ingredients is enclosed in the second chamber. Suitable manually operable means is provided to place the second chamber under pressure to open the pressure sensitive wall between the two chambers thereby to permit the two ingredients to intermix for the generation of gas to cause the viscous material to be extruded through the dispensing nozzle of the cartridge.

The first ingredient that is contained in the first or pressure chamber may be a mixture of an alkali and an acid both in dry form and the second ingredient in the second chamber may be a body of water to activate the dry mixture for generating the gas. In the preferred practice of the invention, a plunger is adapted to be manually displaced into the second chamber to place the Water therein under pressure with consequent opening or rupturing of the pressure-sensitive wall between the two chambers.

Since the two ingredients are initially completely isolated from each other, the dispensing device has a long shelf life. When the time comes to dispense the material, it is merely necessary to unseal the nozzle and then to press the manually operable plunger into the second chamber to release the water from the second chamber into the first chamber. The generated gas then exerts continuous pressure on the cup-shaped member in the aluminum shell to drive the cup-shaped member towards the nozzle thereby to cause the viscous material to be extruded in a uniform manner.

A feature of the preferred practice of the invention is the provision of a manually operable valve to control the nozzle. For this purpose, the dispensing nozzle is screwed onto a reduced neck of the aluminum shell and the valve is in the form of a ball, for example, a plastic ball, controlled by screwing and unscrewing the nozzle. Normally the nozzle is screwed tight to seat the ball firmly to seal off the interior of the cartridge. If only a portion of the viscous content of the cartridge is required at one time, the nozzle may be screwed tight to out 01f the flow and then at a later time the nozzle may be unscrewed for a second dispensing operation.

The features and advantages of the invention may be understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, which is to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FIG 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section showing the cartridge in its normal state with the dispensing nozzle closed and with the two gas-generating ingredients isolated from each other in the two corresponding chambers; and

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the device with the nozzle valve open and with the pressure-sensitive wall open thereby permitting the two ingredients to react to generate gas for carrying out the dispensing operation.

In the drawing illustrating the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, an aluminum shell 10, which is preferably formed by impact extrusion, is open at one end and at the opposite end is provided with a suitable dispensing nozzle. In this particular embodiment of the invention, the dispensing end of the shell is formed with a reduced neck 12 having a male thread 14 and a plastic nozzle member 15 is screw threaded onto the neck. The outer end of the neck 14 forms a valve seat for a valve ball 16 which preferably is made of plastic for highly effective sealing engagement with the valve seat. The nozzle member 15 serves as a cage for the valve ball 16 and is formed with short internal ribs 18 which engage the ball to press the ball into the valve seat when the nozzle is screwed tight and which permits fluid flow past the ball 3 when the nozzle is unscrewed to release the ball from the valve seat.

A cup-shaped movable wall or piston member 20, which may be made of a suitable plastic, is backed into the open end of the shell to confine a body 22 of viscous material between the piston member and the valve ball 16. Thus the piston cooperates with the shell 10 to form a container that may be collapsed by fluid pressure against the piston member. The viscous material 22 may be a suitable sealant which remains viscous as long as it is cut off from the atmosphere, but which upon exposure to the atmosphere rapidly cures to form a relatively hard sealant.

In the construction shown, a plastic body 24 is formed with a thin circumferential flange 25 and is backed into the base end of the shell to span the interior of the shell and to cooperate with the piston member 20 to form a first chamber 26. As shown in FIG. 1 the rim 28 of the base end of the aluminum shell 10 may be rolled inward into engagement with the plastic flange 25 and an O-ring 26 may be interposed to make the joint fluid tight.

The plastic body 24 has a cavity 32 to form a second chamber with what may be termed a first pressure-responsive Wall 34 separating the two chambers. In the construction shown, the cavity 32 is formed with an inner circumferential groove 35 and the pressure-responsive wall 34 is in the form of a thin plastic disk which is preferably slightly dished and which is seated in the groove to seal off the two chambers from each other.

The first chamber 26 may contain a powdered mixture 38 of an alkali and an acid and the second chamber may contain a body of water 46. Suitable means is provided to open the wall 34 when desired for the purpose of cansing the Water 40 to mix with the dry material 38 to generate the desired gas for extruding the viscous material.

In this particular embodiment of the invention, the means to open the wall 34 comprises a second pressure responsive wall in the form of a manually operable, normally retracted plunger 42 mounted in a circular opening 44 in the rear wall of the chamber 40. It is to be noted that when the plunger 42 is in its normal retracted position shown in FIG. 1 the plunger is spaced substantially inwardly from the plane of the base rim 28 of the shell so that the plunger is protected against inadvertent operation. With the chamber 32 substantially completely occupied by the body of Water 40, it is apparent that inward displacement of the manual plunger 42 places the body of water under pressure to cause dislodgement of the diskshaped wall member 34 from the retaining groove 35 to permit the water to contact the dry mixture 38.

The manner in which the invention serves its purpose may be readily understood from the foregoing description. In the normal state of the device on a dealers shelf, the nozzle member 15 is screwed tight against the ball member 16 to seal ofi the nozzle and the plunger 42 at the base end of the shell is in its normal retracted state. When it comes time for a purchaser to use the device for applying a strip of adhesive in the manner shown in FIG. 2, the purchaser depresses the plunger 42 to dislodge the plastic disk 34 to permit the water to mix with the dry material to generate the desired gas. The purchaser then unscrews the nozzle 15 to the desired degree to cause the viscous sealant to be extruded at the desired rate and then employs the device in the manner shown in FIG. 2 to deposit a strip 45 of the sealant. As shown in FIG. 2, forcing the retracted plunger 42 axially inwardly into the second chamber 32 dislodges the plastic disk 34 and forces the plastic disk 34 into the first chamber 26.

When a desired quantity of viscous content has been extruded, the nozzle member 15 may be tightened to force the ball 16 against the seat to cut ofi further extrusion. Ordinarily, when a dispensing operation is terminated in this manner the gaseous pressure inside the pressure chamber will last for two or three days to permit a second dispensing operation within that time period.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the dispensing device may be manufactured at relatively low price to make it economical to dispose of the whole device after the viscous material is dispensed. Even though the device is of inexpensive construction, however, the device is highly efiicient for its purpose and will deposit a strip 45 that is more uniform than any strip can be deposited by squeezing a collapsible tube.

My description in specific detail of the selected embodiment of the invention will suggest various changes, substitutions and other departures from my disclosure within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A dispensing device of the character described, comprising in combination:

an elongated container having a dispensing end and a base end;

a dispensing nozzle at said dispensing end of the container;

a movable wall inside the container movable towards said nozzle to extrude the content of the container through the nozzle;

means cooperative with said movable wall and the container to form a first chamber on the outer side of the movable wall;

a first ingredient in said first chamber;

a second chamber in the base end of the container;

a pressure-responsive wall separating the two chambers to open in response to pressure in the second chamber to place the two chambers in communication with each other;

a second liquid ingredient substantially filling the second chamber and capable of cooperating with the first ingredient on contact therewith to generate a gas for applying fluid pressure against said movable wall to extrude the content of the container; and

manually operable means to contract the volume of said second chamber to place the second ingredient under pressure thereby to open said pressure-responsive wall to permit the two ingredients to cooperate.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said second chamber is a second container telescoped into the base end of the first mentioned container.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which the means to place the second ingredient under pressure is a plunger mounted in the wall of the second compartment, said plunger being exposed for manual operation at the base end of the first mentioned container.

4. A dispensing device of the character described, comprising in combination:

a collapsible container confining a flowable material and having a dispensing nozzle;

a first chamber united with the container for applying gas under pressure to the container to collapse the container for a dispensing operation;

a second chamber separated from the first chamber by a wall common to both of the chambers;

a first ingredient in the first chamber;

a second liquid ingredient in the second chamber capable of cooperating with the first ingredient on contact therewith to generate a gas for collapsing the container; and

manually operable means to open said wall to place the two chambers in communication with each other thereby to permit the two ingredients to cooperate to create a gas to exert pressure against the collapsible container for collapse thereof to dispense said material,

said manually operable means comprising a plunger to displace the liquid ingredient in the second chamber against said wall to open the wall.

5. A disposable dispenser for a viscous material, comprising:

an elongated cylindrical shell having a dispensing end and an opposite open end;

a normally closed dispensing nozzle on the dispensing end of the shell;

a piston member inside the shell cooperative with the shell to confine the viscous material, said piston member being spaced from the open base end of the shell;

means spanning the interior of the shell and cooperating with the shell and the piston to form a first chamber, said spanning means being pressure-responsive to open for access to the first chamber in response to pressure against the spanning means;

a first ingredient in said first chamber;

means including said pressure-responsive spanning means forming a second chamber in the base end of the shell;

a second ingredient in the second chamber capable of cooperation with the first ingredient on contact therewith to create a gas for displacing said piston thereby to dispense the viscous material through the dispensing nozzle; and

manually operable means at the base end of the shell to contract said second chamber to press the second ingredient against the pressure-responsive spanning means to cause the spanning means to open for intermixture of the two ingredients.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 5 in which said manually operable means is a plunger in the wall of the second chamber, said plunger being protected against accidental operation by being spaced inwardly of the base end of the shell.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 5 in which said nozzle is rotatable relative to the shell and which includes a valve normally closing the nozzle, said valve being operable by rotation of the nozzle.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 7 in which said valve comprises a ball and a seat, said nozzle being screw threaded to thrust the ball against the seat.

9. A disposable device of the character described for dispensing a flowable material, comprising in combination:

an elongated tubular container open at one end and having a normally closed dispensing nozzle at the other end;

a piston-like movable Wall inside the container to confine the flowable material in the container, said movable wall being initially positioned at a substantial distance from the rim of the open end of the container;

a body spanning the interior of the container and backed into the open end of the container, said body having a rearward cylindrical end with the rim of the open end of the container turned radially inwardly over the cylindrical end of said body to anchor the body to the container, said body defining with the container and the movable wall a first chamber inside the container;

said body forming a second chamber separated from the first chamber by a wall common to the two chambers;

a first ingredient in the first chamber;

a second liquid ingredient in the second chamber capable of cooperating with the first ingredient on contact therewith to generate a gas for applying fluid pressure against said movable wall to extrude said material from the container;

said common wall being in the form of a panel, said panel being yieldingly mounted on said body to be displaced from the body into the first chamber by rise in pressure of the liquid ingredient in the second chamber; and

manually operable means carried by said body to contract the volume of said second chamber to cause the liquid ingredient therein to displace said common wall between the two chambers to bring said two ingredients into mutual contact.

10. A combination as set forth in claim 9 in which said container is made of aluminum.

11. A combination as set forth in claim 9 which includes an elastomeric sealing ring confined by the turned in rim of the container to form a fluid tight .joint between said body and the container.

12. In a dispensing device of the character described wherein a dispensing cartridge containing material to be dispensed has a movable wall to permit contraction of the volume of the cartridge for dispensing the material,

the improvement for causing contraction of the cartridge, comprising:

means including a first wall cooperative with said movable wall to form therewith a first closed chamber;

means including a second wall cooperative with said first wall to form a second chamber with the first wall separating the two chambers, said first wall being pressure-responsive to open to place the two chambers in communication with each other in response to rise in pressure in the second chamber;

a first ingredient in the second chamber; and

a second liquid ingredient in the second chamber,

said two ingredients being capable of cooperating on contact to generate a gas thereby to provide fluid pressure against said movable wall for extrusion of the material from the cartridge,

said second wall being exposed for application of pressure thereto from the exterior of the cartridge,

said second wall being pressure-responsive to respond to such exterior pressure by contracting the volume of the second chamber thereby to raise the pressure of the liquid ingredient in the second chamber to cause said first wall to open for intermixture of the two ingredients.

13. An improvement as set forth in claim 12 in which said first wall comprises a panel and means engaging the periphery of the panel to hold the panel in position, said engaging means being yieldable to release the panel to place the two chambers in communication with each other in response to rise in the pressure of the second ingredient in the second chamber.

14. An improvement as set forth in claim I12 in which said manually movable wall is in the form of a normally retracted plunger that is movable into the liquid in the second chamber.

15. An improvement as set forth in claim 12 in which said first wall is a releasably mounted wall element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,842,869 1/1932 Hale 222-507 2,253,601 8/1941 Armstrong 239-309 X 2,925,942 2/1960 Schmidt et al 2 22389 X 3,117,424 1/ 1964 Hebensbreit 222--3 3,163,014 12/1964 Wismar 222-3 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, Assistant Examiner. 

